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1843 Iowa Council election

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1843 Iowa Council election

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All 13 seats in the Iowa Territory Council
7 seats needed for a majority
  Majority party Minority party
 
Leader Thomas Cox[a] John D. Elbert[c]
Party Democratic Whig
Leader's seat 10th-Jackson County 2nd-Van Buren County
Last election 7 6
Seats after 6 6
Seat change Decrease1[b] Steady

     Democratic hold      Whig hold

President of the Iowa Territory Council before election

John D. Elbert[c]
Whig

Elected President of the Iowa Territory Council

Thomas Cox[a][b]
Democratic

In the 1843 Iowa Territory Council elections, electors selected councilors to serve in the sixth Iowa Territory Council. All 13 members of the Territory Council were elected.[d] Councilors served one-year terms.

The Iowa Territory existed from July 4, 1838, until December 28, 1846, when Iowa was admitted to the Union as a state. At the time, the Iowa Territory had a Legislative Assembly consisting of an upper chamber (i.e., the Territory Council) and a lower chamber (i.e., the Territory House).

Following the previous election in 1842, Democrats held a majority with seven seats to Whigs' six seats.

To claim a majority of seats, the Whigs needed to net one seat from Democrats.

Democrats maintained a majority of seats in the Iowa Territory Council following the 1843 general election with the balance of power remaining unchanged with Democrats holding seven seats and Whigs having six seats. Democratic Councilor Thomas Cox was chosen as the President of the sixth Territory Council to succeed Whig Councilor John D. Elbert in that leadership position.[a]

However, during the session, Democratic Councilor Thomas Cox died on November 9, 1844, causing a vacancy. Following Cox's death, Democrats and Whigs were tied with six seats each.

Summary of Results

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Iowa Territory Council District Incumbent Party Elected Councilor Party Outcome
1st[e] Robert M. G. Patterson Whig Robert M. G. Patterson Whig Whig Hold
William Patterson Dem William Patterson Dem Dem Hold
2nd[f] John D. Elbert Whig John D. Elbert Whig Whig Hold
James H. Jenkins Dem James H. Jenkins Dem Dem Hold
3rd[g] Shepherd Leffler Dem Shepherd Leffler Dem Dem Hold
4th[h] William Henson Wallace Whig William Henson Wallace Whig Whig Hold
5th[i] Joseph B. Teas Dem Joseph B. Teas Dem Dem Hold
6th[j] Francis Springer Whig Francis Springer Whig Whig Hold
7th[k] Pleasant Harris Dem Pleasant Harris Dem Dem Hold
8th[l] John Parsons Cook Whig John Parsons Cook Whig Whig Hold
9th[m] Robert Christie Whig Robert Christie Whig Whig Hold
10th[n] Thomas Cox Dem Thomas Cox[a] Dem Dem Hold
Vacancy after Cox's death[b]
Francis Gehon Dem Francis Gehon Dem Dem Hold

Source:[5]

  1. ^ a b c d Councilor Cox of Jackson County was chosen to be President of the sixth Iowa Territory Council. He died during the session on November 9, 1844 from pneumonia.[1]
  2. ^ a b c Councilor Cox of Jackson County died during the sixth session of the Iowa Territory Council on November 9, 1844, from pneumonia.[2]
  3. ^ a b Councilor Elbert of Van Buren County.[3]
  4. ^ At the time, the Iowa Territory Council had several multi-member districts.[4]
  5. ^ The 1st was a 2-member district.
  6. ^ The 2nd was a 2-member district.
  7. ^ The 3rd was a 1-member district.
  8. ^ The 4th was a 1-member district.
  9. ^ The 5th was a 1-member district.
  10. ^ The 6th was a 1-member district.
  11. ^ The 7th was a 1-member district.
  12. ^ The 8th was a 1-member district.
  13. ^ The 9th was a 1-member district.
  14. ^ The 10th was a 2-member district.

Detailed Results

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  • NOTE: The Iowa General Assembly does not contain detailed vote totals for Territory Council elections in 1843.

See also

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District boundaries for the Iowa Territory Council in 1843:

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Councilor Thomas Cox". Iowa Legislature. Retrieved July 15, 2021.
  2. ^ "Councilor Thomas Cox". Iowa Legislature. Retrieved July 15, 2021.
  3. ^ "Councilor John D. Elbert". Iowa Legislature. Retrieved July 15, 2021.
  4. ^ "Legislative Assembly: 4 (12/06/1841 - 12/04/1842)". Iowa Legislature. Retrieved July 15, 2021.
  5. ^ "Legislators". Iowa State Senate. Retrieved July 15, 2021.